Samsung Electronics will enter the Silicon Valley rivalry for best technology-oriented campus with its new headquarters design. The 1.1 million-sf San Jose campus, calculated to give Apple, Facebook and other local high-tech firms a run for their architectural money, will support at least 2,500 sales and R&D staff in Samsung's semiconductor and display businesses.
A pair of linked, 10-story office buildings, encompassing a combined 680,000 sf, will be the hallmark structure. Extensive "green floors" will be provided on every third story, creating a stack of alternating enclosed and open spaces. The gardens will be available to employees for informal breaks and organized recreation. Adjacent facilities will be connected by elevated walkways.
In addition to offices, the program includes research space, a cleanroom, a data center, basketball and sports courts, and cafés in a star-shaped amenities building. A parking structure for more than 1,500 vehicles will feature a rooftop solar array. NBBJ, also the architect behind the recently announced Google Bay View campus, is helming the project.
Samsung Information Systems America is getting new quarters as well. The company has signed a 15-year lease for two six-story buildings in Mountain View's Cypress Business Park, comprising about 385,000 sf.
The state of California is providing an R&D tax credit and an unspecified reimbursement for employee training. The city of San Jose is pitching in with a reduction of traffic impact fees (by more than 50%), a 75%+ reduction in construction taxes, a 50% rebate of up to half of utility taxes for 10 years, and a direct $500,000 economic incentive.
(http://articles.latimes.com/2013/feb/18/business/la-fi-samsung-silicon-valley-20130218)
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Mar 12, 2015
Energy Trust of Oregon offers financial incentives for net-zero buildings
The organization is offering technical assistance along with financial benefits.
BIM and Information Technology | Mar 11, 2015
Google plans to use robots, cranes to manipulate modular offices at its new HQ
Its visions of “crabots” accentuate the search-engine giant’s recent fascination with robotics and automation.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 11, 2015
Foster + Partners wins bid for 2022 World Cup centerpiece stadium in Qatar
Norman Foster described the design as “an exciting step forward in stadium design—it will be the first to break the mold of the free-standing suburban concept, and instead anticipates the grid of this future city.”
Architects | Mar 10, 2015
German architect Frei Otto named 2015 Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate
The news comes a day after the visionary architect, 89, died in his native Germany.
Modular Building | Mar 10, 2015
Must see: 57-story modular skyscraper was completed in 19 days
After erecting the mega prefab tower in Changsha, China, modular builder BSB stated, “three floors in a day is China’s new normal.”
Sponsored | Metals | Mar 10, 2015
Metal Building Systems: A Rising Star in the Market
A new report by the Metal Building Manufacturer's Association explains the entity's efforts in refining and extending metal building systems as a construction choice.
Retail Centers | Mar 10, 2015
Retrofit projects give dying malls new purpose
Approximately one-third of the country’s 1,200 enclosed malls are dead or dying. The good news is that a sizable portion of that building stock is being repurposed.
Retail Centers | Mar 10, 2015
Orlando's Skyscraper to be world's tallest roller coaster
The Skyscraper is expected to begin construction later this year, and open in 2016. It will stand at 570 feet.
Museums | Mar 9, 2015
Architecture based on astronomy principles for new planetarium in Shanghai
The ancient Chinese civilization left some of the earliest records of humans studying the stars and skies. To exhibit this long history, a new planetarium and astronomy museum is planned for construction in Shanghai.
Architects | Mar 9, 2015
Study explores why high ceilings are popular
High ceilings give us a sense of freedom, new research finds